On The Beat: The Ballad Of Officer Wendy Corduroy
by iKnowLotsOfThings
Summary: A look into the life of Wendy Corduroy as she undertakes the process of becoming a police officer.
1. Chapter 1

**On The Beat: A Night In The Life Of Officer Wendy Corduroy**

A cool breeze blew through the town of Gravity Falls, Oregon as rookie Officer Wendy Corduroy sat in her police cruiser. A cup of lukewarm coffee resided in the center console of the late model Fjord Crown Elizabeth was all that kept the nineteen year old awake as she watched patron after patron enter SkullCrusher's Tavern. On a Friday night, this is where the action was. A long work week was over and the usually buttoned up citizens of the small Pacific Northwestern town decided to let their hair down and let off a little steam. Six months had passed since she was awarded her badge by Chief Clarence Blubs of the newly formed Gravity Falls Police Department. In the wake of Weirdmageddon, word had spread of the supernatural war that had taken place. Although dismissed by most, it still caused the quiet town to experience an influx of curious folks from around both the nation and the world for that matter. Realizing that the service the Roadkill County Sherriff's Office provided wouldn't be sufficient enough to protect the town, Gravity Falls formed its own law enforcement agency. In addition to the creation of the Gravity Falls Police Department, work had begun on the recently re-named Gravity Falls Regional Medical Center.

Wendy let out a big yawn as she fought the urge to fall asleep; her pledge to uphold the law the only thing overriding her desire to rest. Playing a game on her phone, she heard a man shouting. "Ugh!" she sighed as she put the phone back into her pocket and picked up her handset. "Unit One-Seven… Unit One-Seven… Suspected public drunkenness… I'm gonna go investigate…" she announced before unbuckling her seatbelt. Walking across the street, she already had a good idea of what awaited her. The bar was well known among law enforcement for over-serving their patrons and then unleashing them on the town. "Excuse me sir… What seems to be the problem this evening?" she asked in a stern but respectful tone of voice. "T-They said that I-I had enough, a-and I didn't have to go home, b-but I couldn't stay here…" he replied as he leaned up against the brick wall of the bar. "Do you have a ride? I can call a cab for you if you'd like…" she offered as an angered look formed on the taller man. "A-Are you saying I… I can't drive?!" he asked in a bewildered tone. "I'm suggesting that it wouldn't be the wisest choice for you right now…" she dryly retorted. "Just like a woman to nag me…" he chuckled before letting loose a loud belch. "Just advising you on what would be the most law-abiding thing to do sir…" she answered as a loud roar was heard from inside the bar. "Here… Take 'em!" the drunken man said as he tossed his keys towards the officer. Kneeling down to retrieve the keys, she took note that the man seemed to be alright to walk home. "Here Oli… I have a feeling he'll be missing these in the morning…" she said to the bouncer as she passed the large keyring off to the t-shirt clad man. "Yeah… Sorry about that Officer Corduroy…" he apologized. "No problem… It's kinda my job…" she replied before walking into the bar.

Sure enough, yet another brawl had broken out among the patrons. A small man dressed in jeans and a grey t-shirt brandished a broken beer bottle, while his foe waved a pool cue around like a professional wrestler. "Gravity Falls PD! **DROP YOUR WEAPONS!** " she shouted above the roar of both the customers and the loud rock music that blared from the speakers. The man with the cue dropped his implement and placed his hands above his head. Judging by his movements and compliance, Wendy was certain that he was not the initial aggressor. The man with the broken bottle looked around the room; Wendy sure that he was about to flee the scene. Sure enough, he threw the bottle of Dub Light at her feet and brushed past her. "Unit One-Seven! Unit One-Seven! In pursuit of suspect!" she shouted into her shoulder mounted speaker. The heavy belt around her waist bounced up and down as she took off after the drunken man; taking deep breaths as she stepped out into the brisk spring night. The cracked concrete sidewalk passed beneath her boot clad feet as she tried to make up ground on the man who had just attempted to assault her with a glass bottle. Her long auburn hair flowing behind her, she turned the corner onto Evergreen Street as the man began to slow down. Bending down and grasping his knees, he came to a sudden halt; Wendy unsure of what his motives were. Keeping her distance and a firm grasp on her sidearm, she waited for the man to move. Much to her disgust and relief, the man began to vomit onto the grey concrete sidewalk beneath him. "Suspect has tossed his cookies… Repeat, suspect has tossed his cookies…" she said into her microphone; fighting the urge to bust out in laughter.

Still keeping a grip on her department issued gun, she slowly approached the nauseous man. "You okay there bud?" she inquired. "I-I don't feel so goo-" he began to explain before he deposited more vomit onto the sidewalk. "Dispatch… We might need a med unit over here… Twenty-Three Hundred block of Evergreen Street…" she informed her dispatcher. "Ten-Four, Med Unit on the way to Evergreen…" a male voice calmly stated over the radio. "Hey man… I'm gonna need you to get up against that wall" she instructed the suspect. Realizing that he was dead to rights, the man complied with her command. Reaching behind her back, she removed a pair of pink handcuffs from a leather case on her belt and clasped them onto the wrists of the drunken man. "Look… Lady… I-I'm sorry I threw that bottle at you. I-I'm just going through some stuff right now and the last thing I need is to be arrested…" he said with a bit of shame. Looking at the shorter man, she saw the remorse that his eyes displayed. "I'm sorry dude, but I've gotta book you here… I mean, you threw a broken beer bottle at me…" she replied. "I just found out my girlfriend has been cheating on me and I was pissed off. I went to the bar t-to get away from it all… A-and that asshole was there!" the disheveled man, who appeared to be in his early thirties, explained. "Look… That sucks man. But, like, you've gotta just know when to be the bigger man and walk away. You could have really hurt someone… You could have hurt me…" she said to the now seated man. "I-I know… But, do you know what it's like? T-To love someone and have them rip your heart out?" he pleaded with the young officer. "Yes… As a matter of fact, I do…" she replied. "Okay! S-So you get where I'm coming from then!" he said in an optimistic tone as the wail of the ambulance began to be heard. "No… In my case I just missed out on telling them how I felt. You said you were dating this person…" she explained to the seated man as the bright red lights began to light up the street. With the man loaded into the ambulance, she returned to her cruiser, where she hoped to spend the last three hours of her shift.

 **Author's Note:** Honestly, I was kinda buzzed and suffering from writer's block when LivePD came on. I suddenly imagined what a typical night would have been for Officer Wendy Corduroy. The playlist is what I imagine Wendy would have been listening to at the time.

 **My Playlist For This Chapter:**

Three Days Grace – "The Mountain"

H.I.M. – "Heartkiller"

Black Veil Brides – "Fallen Angels"

Motionless In White – "LOUD (F**K It)

Theory Of A Deadman – "Straight Jacket"

Shinedown – "State Of My Head"

All That Remains – "Forever In Your Hands"

In This Moment / Rob Halford – "Black Wedding"

Godsmack – "Bulletproof"

Chevelle – "The Clincher"

 **The Official Shooting Star Falls AU Reading Order:**

Underage Discoveries On A Reckless Night: A Shooting Star Falls Prequel

A Shooting Star Falls

Echoes Of A Nearby Future: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Scarred Summer: A Shooting Star Falls Story

The Dark Days of Candy Chiu: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Forever Memories: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Stable Times Or A Wild Ride?: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Grenda's Confession: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Birthday Weirdness In The Rose City: A Shooting Star Falls Story

The Gift Of Forever: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Wendy & Dipper Vs The Future: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Life In Transit: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Pause The Moment: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Tales Of The Flame & The Axe: A Shooting Star Falls Story


	2. Chapter 2

**On The Beat: A Night In The Life Of Officer Wendy Corduroy**

 **Part 2: Chasing Future Ghosts**

' _October 18, 2016: I've been at the academy for a little under a month and I have to say, it's tougher than I thought it would be. When I applied for this job, Chief Blubs warned me that it wouldn't be easy and that the men I encountered would treat me differently, but I didn't really think it'd be this bad. They talk about me when I'm standing right there. I know that they know I can hear them. I usually just try and let it roll off my back, but I don't know how much more I can take. I even had this 'Manning' guy walk straight up to me after barely passing an exam tell me that I should just quit. I got so angry that I cried. I'm so fucking mad at myself for that. I'm not some weak, stereotypical girl who cries the first time that things get tough. I'm a fuckin' Corduroy! Yet, I fucking cried my eyes out in front of my class. I-I don't know if I wanna even go to class tomorrow, because I know they're just gonna keep on talking about me. I try to be one of the guys and fit in, but it feels like they're just tolerating me because our instructors tell them that they have to. I get it. I'm an outsider. Most all of these guys have served in the armed forces and have seen things I never will. To them, I'm just some girl who wants to play dress up as a police officer. That couldn't be further from the truth! I wanna protect the town that I grew up in. I almost died trying to save my friends and family from Bill, so I'm more than willing to do the same for anyone who is in trouble. I just don't know. Maybe I did make the wrong choice. I wish I could talk to my dad about this, but they moved upstate to work on my uncle's lumber yard. I know dad said it was because it was too good of an opportunity to pass up, but I know the real reason. Ever since I told him I signed up and we had that big fight, things just haven't been the same. I think he might have even blocked my number. He still hasn't gotten over losing mom and I don't think he ever will. I guess that I just remind him of her too much and he doesn't want anything bad to happen to me, but if it's gonna happen, then it's gonna happen. Mom's death was just one of those things that you can't do anything about. It was a freak medical thing. He needs to stop blaming himself for something he couldn't have done anything about. Until that happens, he's never going to accept the fact that I'm a grown woman and can do what I want. Well, that's enough self-pity for tonight.'_

Wendy put her pen down and grabbed her folding knife from the edge of her desk. Flipping it open, the three inch blade glimmered in the light of the dorm room. Rolling up her sleeve, she let out a deep sigh and placed it to her alabaster skin. The cuts she had been making since middle school were never deep and usually didn't leave a scar, but still she felt as if it helped her deal with her emotions. Clenching her teeth, she pulled the metal blade across her forearm and felt the now familiar pinch as it breached her skin. The warm feeling of blood escaping the wound and bathing her arm was cathartic in a way and she opened her eyes expecting to see something little more than a scratch. Instead, she caught sight of a deep wound that wouldn't stop bleeding. "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!" she exclaimed to herself as she rushed off to the bathroom, a trail of crimson drops being left behind on the well-worn grey tile floor. Luckily, thanks to the apocalypse survival training her father had put her through she knew how to deal with such a wound. Her biggest concern on this night would not be how to treat the self-inflicted injury, but how to explain it to her instructor the next morning. A few minutes later, she had stopped the bleeding and sealed up the cut with some ultra-glue she had lying around the dorm room. Wendy returned to her room and lay down on the rock hard mattress as her mind continued to run wild. She knew that sleep was important, but it had been in short supply as of late while she battled her demons. Once again, she was in a fight against her thoughts as she questioned her decisions on a rainy Oregon night.

 **Author's Note:** I may write a few more chapters of this, but they'll be more like a collection of one-shots from Wendy's time as an officer. It's kinda fun and I feel it gives a deeper look into Wendy's mess of a life before the tragic losses of Mabel and Pacifica.

 **My Playlist For This Chapter:**

Badflower – "Ghost"

Forever Still – "Scars"

Within Temptation – "Stand My Ground"

Diamante – "Fight Like A Girl (F.L.A.G.)"

 **The Official Shooting Star Falls AU Reading Order:**

Underage Discoveries On A Reckless Night: A Shooting Star Falls Prequel

A Shooting Star Falls

Echoes Of A Nearby Future: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Scarred Summer: A Shooting Star Falls Story

The Dark Days of Candy Chiu: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Forever Memories: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Stable Times Or A Wild Ride?: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Grenda's Confession: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Birthday Weirdness In The Rose City: A Shooting Star Falls Story

The Gift Of Forever: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Wendy & Dipper Vs The Future: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Life In Transit: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Pause The Moment: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Tales Of The Flame & The Axe: A Shooting Star Falls Story


	3. Chapter 3

**On The Beat: The Ballad Of Officer Wendy Corduroy**

 **Part 3: The Rift**

It had been sixteen long weeks since Wendy Corduroy had entered the Oregon Public Safety Academy. The nineteen year old woman had been pushed to the limit both physically and psychologically, but had overcome it all to find herself at the graduation ceremony. As she took her seat on the stage, she looked out into the sea of spectators that had assembled to watch their loved ones complete the final step in becoming a police officer. A quartet of empty chairs in the second row told Wendy all she had to know; that her family wouldn't be there to share in her moment. It had been far from a shock that they had elected not to attend, but she had still held out the faintest hope that they might just surprise her. She loved her family dearly, but knew that it would take some time for the rift between them to mend itself. Luckily, her friends had shown up and provided her the support she deserved on such an important day. Dipper and Mabel had even flown in for the occasion and were still not quite sure if the whole thing wasn't just an elaborate prank by their good friend. Dipper thought it a bit odd that someone who had held such anti-authoritarian beliefs would become the very thing she despised. After a short conversation with Wendy, however, he had come to understand her change of heart and thought it was great that she had found a purpose in life. Likewise, Mabel was thrilled that Wendy was going to become Gravity Falls' first female officer. The younger woman had always looked up to the auburn haired teen as if she were an older sibling and beamed with pride as she watched her cross the stage. All Wendy could keep thinking about was the absence of her family though as she went through the motions.

The auburn haired woman could almost give a word-by-word transcript from the argument she had with her father when she broke the news that she was going to pursue a career in law enforcement. Some of the things he said had shattered her heart in ways she never thought possible by anyone, let alone her dad. She knew her father had trouble properly expressing his emotions, but couldn't find it in her heart to overlook his shortcomings on that particular day. Wendy had stormed off to avoid saying or doing something that she'd end up regretting for the rest of her life. Upon her return to the modest log cabin, she had found all of her possessions outside in a slew of boxes and bags; a sight that caused her to ignore her instincts and confront the man she called her father. Without a second thought, she balled up her fist and struck him right between the eyes; the act saying more than words could ever convey. Dan was completely shocked by what his daughter had done. Sure, countless people had taken swings at him over the years, but none of them had been his own flesh and blood. What made it all the more surreal for him was the fact that Wendy was spitting image of Kathleen at the same age. Dan was equal parts bewildered and angered by the act as he watched his daughter slam the front door of her childhood home shut.

Wendy remembered the tearful call to Soos she had placed to help her gather her things before a storm rolled in; Dan glaring through the front window as they loaded up their trucks. The portly proprietor of the Mystery Shack had wanted to give the burly man a piece of his mind, but was convinced by Wendy that it would be a foolhardy endeavor that would likely end in a trip to the emergency room. Instead, he had offered her a place to stay while she figured things out for herself. Wendy thought it a bit of poetic justice that the only open room in the house was the one that Mabel and Dipper had called home for the past few summers. The freckled young woman swore she could feel the presence of the Mystery Twins even though they were home in California. While she was eternally grateful to her good friend for his act of compassion, she soon realized that she couldn't live in the Mystery Shack for forever. Soos and Melody had been talking of starting a family and Wendy knew that it would be infinitely easier if she weren't a guest of theirs.

Her first days on the job were tough, but she was determined to work hard and save up for a place of her own. The spunky nineteen year old had jumped at any opportunity to work overtime and while the long days had worn her out, it her bank account showed that it was going to be worth it in the end. As late summer had turned to fall, she had finally made enough to rent a studio apartment in downtown Gravity Falls. It had taken a week to fully move in, but for the first time in a while, Wendy felt she was in a place she belonged. Unpacking the last box, she came upon a set of pictures that caused her to tear up. The first was a photo of her parents on what she would later come to find out was their first date. Dan was just starting out as an apprentice carpenter and didn't have much to his name, but wanted to impress the girl who had captured his heart. Deciding that a day on the lake could be romantic, he spent what little money he had and rented a small rowboat for them. The two had spent the afternoon fishing and had fallen even deeper in love with one another. At one point, another boat had passed by and offered to take their picture. The second picture was of Dan and Wendy on a fishing trip they had taken the previous summer. Wendy remembered the day fondly as she held the framed picture in her hands. She decided to hang them side by side in a place where she'd see them every single day. As the light of the day faded, she hoped to herself that she could one day show them to her father.

 **Author's Note:** So… Instead, of my own playlist for the chapters going forward, it will be what the characters are listening to. Of course, Wendy is in a very turbulent stage of her life and her songs reflect that. I'd been meaning to update this story for a while, but wanted to wait until I had something that really spoke to me. I then remembered that I never fully explained the rift that had formed between Manly Dan and his daughter. It seemed like a perfect opportunity to fill in that gap in the story. I hope you enjoyed this story and encourage you to check out all my other ones. Life's been a bit crazy as of late, so I'm not updating as much as I'd like to, but I promise the wait will be worth it. - iKLOT

 **Wendy's Playlist For This Chapter:**

The Griswolds – "NICE TO MEET YA!"

Papa Roach – "Come Around" (Reminded me of Wendy holding out hope that her father would come around to the fact that she was now a police officer)

All That Remains / Danny Warsnop – "Just Tell Me Something"

Sevendust – "Broken Down"

Fozzy – "Nowhere To Run"

Three Days Grace – "Happiness" (The song reminds me of how Wendy has always turned to alcohol to cope with the feelings she couldn't handle)

Lacuna Coil – "Save Me"

Korn – "You'll Never Find Me"

Red – "Perfect Life"

Green Day – "Father Of All…"

Theory Of A Deadman - "History Of Violence"

 **The Official Shooting Star Falls AU Reading Order:**

Underage Discoveries On A Reckless Night: A Shooting Star Falls Prequel

A Shooting Star Falls

Echoes Of A Nearby Future: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Scarred Summer: A Shooting Star Falls Story

The Dark Days of Candy Chiu: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Forever Memories: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Stable Times Or A Wild Ride?: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Grenda's Confession: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Birthday Weirdness In The Rose City: A Shooting Star Falls Story

The Gift Of Forever: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Wendy & Dipper Vs The Future: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Life In Transit: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Pause The Moment: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Tales Of The Flame & The Axe: A Shooting Star Falls Story


End file.
